Outside and inside
by Marjorie Nescio
Summary: His regal wife struggles with retirement and Joe speaks supportive words. But what does he really think on the subject?
1. Outside

Author's note: below you'll find my first post-PD2 fanfic. In the first chapter Joe comforts his distressed wife. In the second chapter the first chapter is repeated but then with Joe's interior monologue included.

In August 2014 I edited the story for Joe had more thoughts to spare and his wife had more to say.

I'd like to learn what you think of the outside/inside contrast: reviews will be appreciated!

Chapter 1 – Outside

Joe softly pushed open a door to an office. In it stood an antique desk which was empty save for a small calendar, an inkstand and stationary. Behind it Clarisse was writing a letter. She looked concentrated and thoughtful but her throwing down her expensive Meisterstuck spoke a different story.

Joe tiptoed a few steps into the corridor and called out: "Coffee and tea will be ready in a moment." He walked into the office to find Clarisse tearing her letter in two and then four pieces.

"What is it mi amor?"

Clarisse shrugged. "I'd looked forward to write this letter because it would give me a reason to sit down at a desk. Isn't it silly? It is merely a letter to a friend."

"And being a perfectionist the result wasn't to your liking?" Joe lightly suggested. He glanced at some boxes in a corner.

"My signature came out all wrong. How often have I written it down? Thousands of times and now..."

"Wrong surname?" Joe said with a smile.

"I sign with my forename Joseph. As always."

Clarisse pushed her chair backwards and reached under the desk to open a drawer.

"Oh," she said when she discovered it wasn't there. "That's what you get when your granddaughter tells you that she'd _love_ to use your desk and would you mind picking one from the attic? This thing has been here for months now and I'm still not used to it."

"I thought you liked it that Amelia wanted to use your desk."

"Oh please Joseph: what was I to say? You're taking my throne and my castle please let me keep my desk?"

Clarisse rose. Her cheeks were pinkish. "Time for tea," she said with a fake smile.

Clarisse tried to walk passed Joe but he caught her hand and her hip and pulling her near he kissed her head. Clarisse freed herself from Joe's embrace. Not looking at his face she fumbled with his tie.

"This office… It's a farce," Clarisse whispered.

"We can bring your books in here," Joe said, placing his hands on hers. "Make it a library where you can read and write."

Clarisse walked to the fire-place. "I know my staff is capable but wouldn't _you_ want to learn from someone with half a century of experience Joseph?"

"Mia wants to do things her way Corazon."

"She wants me out of the way. At least once a week I ask her whether I can help her. Take over appointments, go abroad – I always get no for an answer. I feel useless."

Joe walked toward his wife. "Clarisse, you've worked very hard for nearly half a century. You and I are retired now."

"You handle it better than I do," Clarisse softly said. She reached out and cupped Joseph's face. He kissed her wrist.

"Why don't you pick up gardening?" Joe said. He put his hands on his wife's waist. "One of the reasons I bought this mansion was its walled garden."

Clarisse stared at Joseph's tie-pin.

"Or you could go to the castle to ride Clarisse."

His wife made a throatily sound.

"It will get better," Joe said, "Spring is nearing, the days are getting longer. Why don't we make a round in our garden after tea? See if you can spare me a spot for a kitchen garden?"

Looking into her husband's eyes Clarisse said: "I didn't know you wanted to have a kitchen garden?"

"Home grown vegetables go with the meals I serve you during the weekend."

Clarisse smiled at Joseph.

"Come my Queen, let's have tea."


	2. Inside

Chapter 2 – Inside

Joe softly pushed open a door to an office. In it stood an antique desk which was empty save for a small calendar, an inkstand and stationary. Behind it Clarisse was writing a letter.

_Any chair becomes a throne when she sits on it. Toilets too no doubt._

Clarisse looked concentrated and thoughtful but her throwing down her expensive Meisterstuck spoke a different story.

_Caramba!_

Joe tiptoed a few steps into the corridor and called out: "Coffee and tea will be ready in a moment." He walked into the office to find Clarisse tearing her letter in two and then four pieces.

_What the hell?_

"What is it mi amor?"

Clarisse shrugged. "I'd looked forward to write this letter because it would give me a reason to sit down at a desk. Isn't it silly? It is merely a letter to a friend."

_She's not happy and I just feel like shaking her at times._

"And being a perfectionist the result wasn't to your liking?" Joe lightly suggested. He glanced at some boxes in a corner.

_It's still not home to her. The villagers called this place the castle even before she became its mistress but half her stuff is still in boxes._

"My signature came out all wrong. How often have I written it down? Thousands of times and now..."

"Wrong surname?" Joe said with a smile.

_No smile in return my dear? Wrong subject? I used to elicit a smile with a mere wink._

"I sign with my forename Joseph. As always."

_And it suits you well now, doesn't it? Heaven forbid you'd have to sign with my name._

Clarisse pushed her chair backwards and reached under the desk to open a drawer.

"Oh," she said when she discovered it wasn't there. "That's what you get when your granddaughter tells you that she'd _love_ to use your desk and would you mind picking one from the attic? This thing has been here for months now and I'm still not used to it."

_What's to get used to with a desk? Damn: itch on my but._

"I thought you liked it that Amelia wanted to use your desk."

_Musn't forget to tell her that I want to invite some friends of mine for a visit. See if she can play the happy lady of the house._

"Oh please Joseph: what was I to say? You're taking my throne and my castle please let me keep my desk?"

Clarisse rose. Her cheeks were pinkish. "Time for tea," she said with a fake smile.

_Maybe I should show her that there's a better way to use the bloody desk. I could wipe it clean and take her right here. Show her there are more pleasurable things to do than grieving for a lost life._

Clarisse tried to walk passed Joe but he caught her hand and her hip and pulling her near he kissed her head.

_God, she smells good. I'll nibble her neck, that sensitive spot that makes her moan._

Clarisse freed herself from Joe's embrace. Not looking at his face she fumbled with his tie.

_Sweet stubborn woman with her silky skin. Warm and willing. I'll make her cry out my name tonight. After watching basketball. It's gonna be an interesting game with that new Canadian in Team Pyrus._

"This office… It's a farce," Clarisse whispered.

_I wanted a private cinema._

"We can bring your books in here," Joe said, placing his hands on hers. "Make it a library where you can read and write."

Clarisse walked to the fire-place. "I know my staff -"

_Hello slip of the tongue._

"- is capable but wouldn't _you_ want to learn from someone with half a century of experience Joseph?"

"Mia wants to do things her way Corazon."

"She wants me out of the way. At least once a week I ask her whether I can help her. Take over appointments, go abroad – I always get no for an answer."

_Girl doesn't need her formidable grandmother watching her every move._

"I feel useless."

_We are healthy woman! We are together after all these years. No more living in the shadows. STOP LOOKING BACK!_

"Clarisse, you've worked very hard for nearly half a century, -"

_Easy boy, don't sound annoyed._

"- You and I are retired now."

_Being Her Majesty will always be part of her. Except when I bed her. That sexy sophisticated sound when I stick my finger inside her. Nights keep me sane and make a fool of me._

"You handle it better than I do," Clarisse softly said. She reached out and cupped Joseph's face. He kissed her wrist.

_My job wasn't my life. I circle around you._

"Why don't you pick up gardening?" Joe said. He put his hands on his wife's waist. "One of the reasons I bought this mansion was its walled garden."

Clarisse stared at Joseph's tie-pin.

_It's larger than the park in my childhood village but she might think it small. The arrogance! Doggy style, that's what I feel like. Make her stop thinking. Make her beg for every thrust._

"Or you could go to the castle to ride Clarisse."

His wife made a throatily sound.

_What's that about? Does she want stables here? She could ride me. Her breasts bouncing right in front of me: fan-tas-tic! I'm hungry. See if there's some cake left. I'll grab her hips and leave marks. Mine._

"It will get better," Joe said, "Spring is nearing, the days are getting longer. Why don't we make a round in our garden after tea? See if you can spare me a spot for a kitchen garden?"

_If _I_ work there, _she_ might tend her roses. Neglected them so far. I'll get one of those Dummies books tomorrow. They've got them for everything, must be one to teach me how to grow vegetables. Shouldn't forget to buy my brother a birthday present._

Looking into her husband's eyes Clarisse said: "I didn't know you wanted to have a kitchen garden?"

_Full of surprises, that's me. Scottish whisky, he'll like that._

"Home grown vegetables go with the meals I serve you during the weekend."

_During the week she wants servants around. As if I need a butler any more than I need a discontented wife. Raspberries. Can grow those too. Sensual. A bit like nipples. Gentle biting. The wind's increasing. Hope it remains dry. Mustn't forget to take the Vaseline from the bathroom tonight: she's not eighteen any more._

Clarisse smiled at Joseph.

_At last. Probably relieved that I never asked her to cook. Well, I dislike having servants but she's not a housewife. That's a new wrinkle near her eye. Still she doesn't look her age._

"Come my Queen, let's have tea."


End file.
